My Father’s Business

 This blog is going to be quite different from my usual style. For one thing, it’s going to be much shorter (if you’re happy - you’re welcome, and if you’re sad - I’m sorry), and for another, it really is, ultimately, a challenge to myself and you.

Recently, I was in a church service, and God put on my heart a scene from Jesus’ childhood.

When Jesus was twelve, He and His parents went on their annual trip to Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of the Passover. When the festival was over, Mary and Joseph left Jerusalem to return home. They traveled for a whole day before they realized Jesus wasn’t with them!

Quick interjection (this is not what this blog is about, but I reserve the right to circle back to this at a later time) - this wasn’t a normal parent’s worst nightmare of losing their kid in a crowd. Mary and Joseph had lost the Son of God! Can you imagine the PANIC?!

Ok - back to THIS blog…

First, they checked all around the camp/caravan of fellow travelers, and when they realized Jesus wasn’t anywhere in their group, they went back to the last place they knew He had been - Jerusalem. For three days they searched Jerusalem for Jesus, and then they found Him in the temple. Mary asked Jesus why He had caused them so much anxiety and trauma, and then she added that she and Joseph had been freaking out looking for Him.

Jesus answered them, “Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49, NKJV)

Jesus was born for a single purpose - to die for our sins. Literally - He had one job. But, while He was moving toward that singular event that was his sole focus, everything else He did was purposeful to either glorify God, prepare His followers for after His death, or give us an example. Everything!

While I sat in that church service reflecting on that, God put this question on my heart: Are you about your Father’s business, Erica?

Sometimes I am.

Often, I am not.

I get wrapped up in the secular problems of bills, work, sleep, leisure, too many hours of downtime in front of the TV, or scrolling social media. There are definitely people I interact with whom Jesus loves, but I do not. I sometimes have extreme emotions that I allow to dictate words or actions I know are not what God wants me to say/do. I have true intentions about reading and studying my Bible regularly and setting aside time for prayer and just being with God, but intentions are not actions. “I wish I had” or “I meant to” will never be “I’m glad I did.”

God put this scene on my heart to remind me that I, too, have one job - to be about my Father’s business.

Just like Jesus, I am here for a reason. I have God-given talents and abilities that are to be utilized to fulfill my purpose. Everything I do MUST be in line with that purpose and/or actively glorifying God. EVERYTHING.

The same is true of YOU.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We are not here by accident; we are not useless; and we matter to our Father as His believed creation and for our role in His kingdom.

We MUST be about our Father’s business…and that is my challenge to all of us.

Every moment we are awake is an opportunity to do the work God has prepared just for us. The first step would be to figure out what it is through prayer, studying the Bible, and listening for God’s direction (I’m also a big proponent of discussing things with trusted and wise fellow believers - I strongly encourage you to seek some out and add them to your personal circle of friends/advisors).

All day, every day, and constantly, remind yourself, “I must be about my Father’s business.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

That, dear friends, is the core of our Father’s business. Be about it.

AMEN.